Platinum

This circa 1930s diamond and pearl cluster ring bears hallmarks of late Art Deco design!
Rich with the millegrain details of the era, this platinum ring centres one luminous, floating pearl vertically between a pair of old cutdiamonds, which are framed by a smaller diamond on each of their two open sides.
To the east and west, one round, grain set diamond within a fan-shaped flourish is punctuated to the bottom with an additional diamond, a final embellishment to each shoulder, leading to the delicate shank of this late Art Deco era diamond and pearl ring.

Millegrain

A granular relief pattern design on metal, produced using a chisel. The effect produces slightly raised bumps and was often used in antique pieces through to the late Art Deco era.

Art Deco

Hallmark

A mark or a series of marks stamped on precious metal such as gold, platinum or palladium. The hallmark often denoted the place the item was made, the fineness of the metal and the year in which the item was hallmarked/made.

Platinum

A metal prized for its rarity, whiteness, high tensile strength and insusceptibility to corrosion. It first became widely used in jewellery in the late nineteenth century, when methods were found to make it more easily workable. It features heavily in the delicate Edwardian jewellery of the first decades of the twentieth century.

Old Cut

A term used to describe the cut of a stone, usually cut prior to 1910. They are characterized by having small tables, large culets and rounded outline with a high crown. They were cut so to produce optimal levels of fire, seen best in candlelight.

Shank

Pearl

A gemstone and an organic substance. Pearls have been coveted through the ages for their beauty as symbols of wealth and status. Pearl formation process begins when a foreign body enters a mollusk (usually an oyster or mussel) and is coated with nacre as a natural defense. The natural pearl market declined after 1900, and today 99% of pearls are cultured and are grown around the world in saltwater oysters and freshwater mussels. Read more

Cut

One of the most defining characteristics of a diamond is its cut. While high grades of color, clarity, and carat weight affect a diamond, it's the cut that determines the symmetry of the stone's facets, its overall proportions, and its ability to reflect light. An expertly cut diamond will achieve high levels of brilliance, sparkle, and durability. For more information and cut types, see The Four C's.